A Worcester park homeowner returned from a shopping trip to find her house on fire this afternoon.

Firefighters from New Malden, Surbiton and Sutton were called to the house, in Manor Drive, at 1.48pm.

Another crew from Wimbledon was also called in to help.

Station manager Neil Sinclair, from New Malden fire station, said: "When the fire brigade arrived, there found to be a fire in the rear bedroom which had spread to the roof and had caused severe heat damage to the rest of the first floor."

Firefighters used breathing apparatus, jets and thermal imaging cameras and managed to prevent the fire spreading any further.

Mr Sinclair said fire investigation teams and the police were called and it fire is not being treated as suspicious although the cause is still unknown.

"People are reminded that by fitting a smoke alarm and arranging for a fire safety check to be done by the local fire station, people can prevent serious injury and damage to their properties."

No one was injured during the fire and 10 per cent of the upstairs of the house has been damaged by heat and smoke.